Body Fat Is The Deadliest Organ

At the American Diabetes Association’s 73rd Annual Scientific Sessions, held in June in Chicago, Robert R. Henry, MD, a leading endocrinologist and professor of medicine in residence at the University of California at San Diego talked about belly fat in a way that will forever make me think twice about my future food indulgences.

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Dr. Henry’s lecture started with the basics of fat metabolism, much of which we know all too well: When we overshoot our daily calorie allotment, and don’t burn off the excess by being active, we metabolize extra calories into fat which eventually settles in places all over your body, including deep inside your belly.

But what you might not know is that once inside your belly, that fat actually becomes an organ. And unlike organs—your stomach, intestines, and liver, for example—that keep you alive, the fat blobs scattered among them produce inflammatory compounds that are toxic. Your internal fat organs secrete these chemicals which spark cascades of intricate interactions that (among many other damaging effects) weaken your heart, damage your blood vessels, dampen your immunity, and inevitably, if you continue gaining weight, will shorten your life or at the least, will lessen your ability to enjoy it to the fullest.

And I’ve yet to address the delicate and deadly ballet that belly fat plays if you have diabetes. Belly fat worsens your condition because it makes your body less sensitive to insulin. Carrying too much fat around your midsection puts you on the fast track to beta cell failure. These are the cells in the pancreas that produce insulin; when they crap out completely or partially, you’ll end up taking drugs for the rest of your life. And you’ll also be more likely to experience diabetic complications including heart problems, cognitive difficulties, vision problems and problems with your feet.

Is any of this brand new science? Not especially, though researchers are learning more and more every day about the damaging effects adipose tissue (science-speak for fat) exerts on you. For me, hearing about fat in this context made a huge and memorable impression. From now on, I’m going to remind myself that unhealthy food choices help my body grow new organs whose purpose is to hurt me. And I’m putting down that crème brûlée.

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